What do we, as adults, look for in a children’s book? Adventure, color, excitement, education? Probably all of these things in one go since, after all, we want our children to learn as much as to enjoy themselves and, of course, we all wish them to find something worth going back to, something which awakes the interest in the printed word, in reading within them. Children’s books no longer need to have a moral attached to them, in the way that Aesop wrote, but should give a child something which they can think about, something which lights a spark in their mind and brings new thoughts to them. Children’s books should also contain something which can be shared, which a parent can read with their child, can enjoy just as much, and from which they also gain something.

The Raft is a simple tale of five friends who go on a long journey across the ocean to their new house. It is well illustrated, with animal figures which appeal and a story line which can be discussed, which brings a form of moral – friendship, sharing, society – to the fore without forcing any real message across. The reader is intrigued by what the five have with them, and shown how they share for the common good, how their sharing makes the journey easier, more comfortable for all. It shows clearly how this social mixing and the creation of friendship brings everyone together, banishes the loneliness and fear of a long journey without needing to force anything.

Simply told, fitting for the youngest children, The Raft is both educational and interesting, and sure to be a delight for many younger children and, in sharing the pleasures of reading, their parents too.